Spark plugs are an important part of all internal combustion engines when such engines are operated continuously for long periods of time unburned carbon deposits build up on the electrode sections of the ignition plugs. The elements of the electrodes also tend to oxidize after long exposure to a high temperature environment increasing the resistance of the electrode efficiency. Various impurities and complex hydrocarbons are components of the ignition stage of an engine operation and these also tend to accumulate and coat the electrodes with a further drop in efficiency and increase in resistance.
Numerous devices have been invented to clean the electrodes in order to lengthen the service life of the spark plugs.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,257,144 and 2,314,556 describe such devices which are designed to accomplish the cleaning process. Both patents describe machines which are heavy, and relatively expensive and stationary.
Devices have been created which are intended to be lower cost and portable.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,376,497; 3,538,644 and 3,435,561 describe these devices. All of them rely upon an external source of high pressure air for their operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,644 describes the use of a slatted venturi to increase air velocity and contemplates using low air pressure from vacuum cleaner exhausts or other low pressure sources.
None of the prior patents disclose a truly portable spark plug cleaner that can be easily used by the average auto owner.